Love is for Sisters
by rlsa
Summary: The third (and final) look at the Black women and their dealings with love. Narcissa invites Andromeda to tea three months after the Battle of Hogwarts.


Narcissa sat in the back private room of Diagon Alley Tea House. Three months earlier, the Dark Lord had been vanquished and the war had ended. Harry Potter had given testimony at her family's trial and all the world now knew that she had lied to the Dark Lord. And not just any lie - the one that had spelled his doom.

The clock struck two and she ordered a pot of tea. Sitting patiently at tea was not a problem; she and her sisters had sat at countless teas with their mother, aunt and their contemporaries as children. Andromeda would come, or not, but she would sit until three just in case.

The letter had been hard to write. Four drafts had been needed to develop a letter she hoped would be answered.

 _Dear Mrs. Tonks,_

 _Please accept my sincerest condolences at the loss of your husband, daughter and son-in-law. I regret that I never made your daughter's acquaintance, especially having heard so much of her accomplishments. I would dearly love to renew our relationship, if you will allow it. I will be at the Diagon Alley Tea House at 2 p.m. this Thursday if you are willing to meet with me._

 _Yours most sincerely,_

 _Narcissa_

The clock chimed the quarter-hour. Andromeda entered the tea salon carrying a bundle. Narcissa let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding and rose to greet her sister.

She smiled warmly as Andromeda entered with Teddy. Andromeda had learned the same lessons as she. It would not do well to use rote courtesies to try to re-establish the relationship they once had. Her only chance was to let down her guard, something she had only done with Draco. She fumbled the greeting to her sister.

"I'm so happy you came. I … I wasn't sure you would come."

Andromeda entered the room, turned to put up silencing wards, and turned back to greet her who had once been her sister. "Mrs. Malfoy, I hope I haven't kept you waiting," she greeted, knowing full well that she was twenty minutes late. "Please excuse the ward. Teddy isn't the quietest of babies."

"Your grandson?" Narcissa turned to coo at the baby. Other than Draco, she had never cooed at a baby before. That was not the done thing. But, it was the right thing for her great nephew.

"Would you like to hold him? His father was a werewolf, so he's a bit strong and you'll need to hold him tight," Andromeda challenged.

Narcissa accepted. "I would love to hold your grandson." She cradled the child and sat. Andromeda poured herself tea. "He has your eyes," Narcissa offered. "And perhaps Ted's ears."

"Today," Andromeda said, leaving Narcissa to wonder at the reply.

"Draco said that his father taught the best Defense lessons of any professor he had. He was very brave. Maybe Teddy will be a Gryffindor, like his father."

"Or maybe a Hufflepuff, like my daughter."

Narcissa transfigured a handkerchief into a rattle. Teddy shrieked and grabbed for it. The small talk appeared to have run its course. Narcissa collected her thoughts to begin her apologies.

"I should have written to you when Mother died."

"You should have never stopped writing to me."

"I should have never stopped writing to you," Narcissa agreed. "I'm sorry, Dromeda. I … I have no excuse. I was afraid."

"You were biddable."

Narcissa nodded her head in agreement. "I was." Teddy started fussing. Andromeda made no movement to take him back, so Narcissa transfigured the rattle into a plush dragon, which recaptured his attention. "At first, I started writing so many letters to you. I kept repeating what you last told me. 'Dromeda will give me strength,' I told myself, but in the end, I burned every half-written letter. And then I was married to Lucius. I looked for you on that day." She started bouncing Teddy on her knee. He giggled. "I looked out every window at every chance hoping to catch you looking in."

"I wasn't there. I wasn't invited, if you recall."

"I know." She sighed. "Mrs. Malfoy and Mother had absolute control over the guest list. But I still hoped." Teddy reached for a teaspoon and started chewing on it. The dragon was reverted back to the handkerchief to wipe at his drool. "I used your strength, though. The strength you promised me. I prayed for it with all my soul." She turned back to face Andromeda. "It was you who defied the Dark Lord last May, not me. When the worst thing imaginable came true, you gave me your strength, just as you said you would. I am grateful beyond measure. I thought you should know."

Andromeda scarce knew what to say. She closed her eyes. She had lost almost all that she had left that day. Her beautiful, beautiful daughter. Her scarred, but true son-in-law. And Ted. She had already been lost without her beloved Ted.

"I'd like to reconcile our family, if you would have it," Narcissa whispered.

'If I would have it,' Andromeda scoffed in her mind. Narcissa sat over there mothering her grandson, without even flinching at the mention of his werewolf father's blood. The Slytherin in her, however, couldn't help but see the coincidence of the timing. After all, Harry Potter was Teddy's godfather. Wouldn't the Malfoys love to have their name mentioned with Harry's, to have the whole of the wizarding population forget their association with the Dark Lord.

"No one would need to know, if you don't wish it," Narcissa offered. She was Slytherin too and could guess at what Andromeda had been thinking. "I mean to say, I'm not following Mother's lessons. I'm not curating the people's opinions. I want to be close again, Dromeda. To you. But, I want what's in your interest. I have no right to your connections, nor do I want them. I just want a connection with you."

"Does Mr. Malfoy know of your request?"

Narcissa nodded. "I told him that I was hoping to meet with you and to regain you as my sister. I let him know that I would be giving you half the Black inheritance if you would take it. Whether that meant an interest in the company or galleons if you wished to be bought out. I also took the liberty of adding you to the Black vault, so you could take your share of the heirlooms at your leisure. I apologize if that was too presumptuous."

Pollux Black Industries had become a subsidiary of Malfoy Enterprises when the elder Blacks had retired after Narcissa's wedding. Andromeda had hoped that when her parents had died, Narcissa would give back her share of the company. She secretly dreamed of Ted sitting on the Board of Directors, the CEO of the PBI branch, giving orders to the purebloods beneath him. How funny that now that her share of PBI was being returned, Ted was dead and the dream tasted like ash instead of sweet victory.

She looked at her sister and noticed that Teddy had fallen asleep in her embrace. Narcissa was gently rocking her grandson. "I love you, Dromeda. And I'd love to love your grandson too."

Nothing worthwhile was without cost. The price was the safety of indifference; after all, someone could only hurt you if you cared in the first place. The purchase was a relationship, for good or ill.

The clock in the tea house chimed three, as if calling for her decision. Andromeda looked up and smiled at Narcissa for the first time in almost thirty years. "I love you too, Cissy."

A/N - I do not own anything regarding Harry Potter. And I love the Sisters Black with all my heart.


End file.
